Pumps & Pleats: Tote your lunch in style

By Michèle De Meglio

In these hard economic times, it’s impractical for folks to spend $10 on lunch each day.

The wallet-friendly thing to do is to bring your lunch to work, but of course, you must tote your grub in style.

When choosing the perfect lunch pack, there’s just one question to ask yourself: Do you want something subtly chic or crazy cool?

If chic is your thing, purchase an eco-friendly Laptop Lunches system at Back to the Land Natural Foods on Seventh Avenue in Park Slope.

The kit includes a bento box with five inner compartments, lids to contain soup and sauces, and a slot for forks and spoons.

The compartments may seem small, but with so many, you can fit a well-balanced meal that will keep you full until dinnertime. The only drawback is that there’s a whole lot of stuff to hand-wash every night.

Folks who want to stand out - or just have a little fun - will be better suited with a retro metal lunchbox.

St. Mark’s Comics on Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights has a huge collection of super cool lunchboxes. Choose a box outfitted with images of Spider-Man, the Smurfs or Kermit the Frog.
Pumps & Pleats is partial to the candy-themed boxes, such as one boasting, “Everyone needs a Sugar Daddy.”

There’s just one problem with this old-school lunchbox - it didn’t come with a thermos.

Back to the Land Natural Foods [142 Seventh Ave. between Garfield Place and Carroll Street in Park Slope, (718) 768-5654].

St. Mark’s Comics [148 Montague St. between Henry and Clinton streets in Brooklyn Heights, (718) 935-0911].

Michèle De Meglio is a native Brooklynite addicted to all things chic. Check out Pumps & Pleats each week for more adventures as she scours the borough for fab duds and accessories.